Except for those combat-related, a majority of the jobs offered by the US Military are risk-free and safe. However, there is a set of jobs that are considered dangerous, and in some cases, life-threatening. These jobs are also carried out in some of the most inhospitable environments and weather conditions.
On the other hand, there are also a number of jobs that call for specialized skills which are not only much in demand, but critical to the US Military’s operational success, in peacetime and wartime.
It is these two extra-special, groups of people the US Military takes special care of, through the provision of handsome incentives, referred to as “special-duty pay”. These incentives are in addition to the normal basic pay that special-duty personnel receive.
If you qualify, or volunteer to work in hazardous environments, or if you bring a set of unique skills to the military table, here are three types of ‘special-duty pay’ incentives that you can earn.
Pay for ‘Hardship’
Servicemen who work in areas where the overall work environment and living standards are well below those of the US, are entitled to this type of pay. Those who work in remote areas or where costs of living are high also qualify for this pay.
Pay for ‘Flight duty’
Personnel working in risk-prone, aviation and flight operation jobs, e.g. pilots, flight engineers working on aircraft carrier flight decks, are entitled to this pay.
Pay for ‘Special skills’
People who bring unique skills to the table – e.g. foreign language translators, interpreters and multi linguists, or any such critical skills that are much in demand by the military, are entitled to this pay.
